Foldable garment form



April 14, 1931. F. o. BECHERER FOLDABLE GARMENT FORM Filed Feb. 21. 1930 ff/S OTTO/2M6):

30 shown in Fig. 2; and

Patented Apr. 14, 1931 i UNIT FLOYD O. BECHERER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, AUSIGNOR T STABILITY LEATHER GOODS MFG. 00., OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI FOLIDABLE GARMENT FORM Application filed. February 21, 1930. Serial No. 430,167.

This invention relates to foldable garment forms particularly adapted for use in holding a coat or like garment in shape within a suitcase or other receptacle.v The principal object of the present invention is to provide to vention is to enable the coat form when unfolded to serve as a coat hanger. The invention consists in the folding coat form and in the construction, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed. In the accompanying drawlng, which forms part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a foldable coat form embodying my invention, the form being shown in unfolded position and a coat being shown thereon in dot-and-dash lines,

Fig. 2 is a View showing the coat form in folded position,

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 1 is an end view of the folded form shown in Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a side view of the folded form Fig. 6 is a crosssection through the padded shoulder portion of the form on the line 6-6 in Fig. 1. I

My foldable coat form comprises duplicate side sections A of wood or other lightweight material that are connected along their adjacent margins by means of a hinge B whereby said sections are adapted to be folded one upon the other. As shown in the drawing,

40 the two side sections of the coat form are provided with openings 1 to lighten the weight of said form.

The hinge B preferably comprises two strips of leather 2 that overlap the top and bottom side marginal edges of the respective side sections A and are secured thereto,preferably by lines of stitches 3. Interposed between the two sections of the leather hinge member B and extending from end to end of the form is a spacing strip 4, preferably of wood. The'width of the spacing strip 4 I is less than the distance between the two side sections A of the form; and said strip is held in position betweenthe two leather strips 2 of the hinge B, preferably by means of glue.

The shoulder portions of the side sections A are provided with pads 5, comprising tubular casings of leather, which surround the shoulder portions of saidsections, andcontain' a suitable filling 6. The folding form is; also providedat its upper end with a wire hook 7 whereby the form is adapted for use as a coat hanger. As shown in the drawing, the shank of the hook? is hingedly secured.

by means of a suitable fitting 8 to the spac ing strip 4 of the hinge B, whereby said hook may be folded flat upon said spacing strip when the form is folded.

The coat is slipped on the form in the unfolded position thereof, the sleeves are then folded acrossthe body of the coat and the two side sections A of the form and then folded one upon the other. The form when thus foldedwith the coat thereon is then placed within the suitcase or other receptacle and serves to prevent the coat from becoming wrinkled or losing its shape. 1 The spacingv strip 4 in the hinge B of the form serves to'space apart the inner edges of the side sections A and thus prevent creasingof' the coat along thehinge of the form; and like- -wis e, the shoulder pads 5 of. the two side sec.- tions bear against .each other in the folded position of the form and thus space apart the outer portion of the two sections and prevent creasing of the portion of the coat located therebetween.

What I claim is: V 1 1. A folding coat form comprising two side sections, and a flexible hinge section connecting said side sections, whereby said side sections are adapted to be folded one upon the other, said flexible hinge section including a rigid member adapted to space apart the adjacent edges of said side sections in the folded position thereof.

2. A folding coat form comprising duplicate side sections, a flexible hinge section connecting said side sections, whereby said side sections are adapted to be folded one upon the other, said flexible hinge section including a rigid member adapted to space apart the adjacent edges of said side sections in the folded position of said form, and means at 5 the outer margins of said folding side sectionsmfor, spacing apart said margins in the folded position of said form. V

3. A folding coat form comprising two side sections, a flexible hinge sect-ion connectmg said side sections, whereby said side sections are adapted to be folded one upon the other, said flexible hinge sectionincluding a rigid member adapted to space apart the adjacent edges of said side sections in the folded position thereof, and shoulder pads secured to said folding sectionsand adapted to space apart the outer margins of said sec tions in the folded position of said form.

, v4E. A folding coat form comprising tWo side sections, and a hinge section connecting said side sections, whereby said side sections are adapted to be folded one upon the other, said hinge section comprising a strip of flexible 7 material secured tothe adjacent margins of said sections, and a rigid strip secured to said 7 flexible strip. V

5. A folding coat, form comprising two side sections spaced :apart along their adjacent side margins and a hinge section connecting an the spaced side margins of said side sections, :whereby said sidesections are adaptedotobe folded one upon the other, said flexible hinge section comprising strips of flexible material oyerlapping the spaced-side margins of said .side sections and secured to the top. and bottom faces thereof, and a rigid member inter- .posed between and secured to said strips of flexible material. V I .6. A folding coat formcomprisingtwo side sections spaced apart along their adjacent sidelmar gins'and a hinge section connecting the spaced side margins of said side sections, whereby said sidesections are adapted to be folded one uponthe other, said flexible :hinge sectioncomprising strips of flexible material overlapping-the spaced side margins ofsaid V sidescctions and secured to the top and bottomfaccsthereof, a ri id member interposed betweenandsecured to said strips .of flexible 5o material,.and shoulder pads on said side sections :for spacing zapart'the outer margins thereof in the folded positions-of saidform.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 17 day of February, 1930. i i i .53 FLOYD "O. BECHERER. 

